Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Colima Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Colima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,149 in Guadalajara versus $912 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,858 in Guadalajara versus $1,467 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,568 in Guadalajara versus $2,022 in Colima.

Living in Guadalajara is roughly 26% more expensive than in Colima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guadalajara 14% lower, Colima 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.71 MX$188

$6.38 MX$112

67.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.63 MX$660

$31.42 MX$551

19.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 MX$142

$7.83 MX$137

3.19%

Cappuccino

$3.24 MX$56.8

$2.09 MX$36.65

55.02%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 MX$24.00

$0.77 MX$13.55

77.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.86

$0.51 MX$8.93

76.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 MX$37.51

$1.75 MX$30.63

22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 MX$67.7

$2.72 MX$47.69

41.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$24.31

$1.34 MX$23.47

3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 MX$47.25

$2.60 MX$45.58

3.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.53

$1.38 MX$24.18

21.74%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.58

$2.25 MX$39.40

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 MX$161

$5.93 MX$104

54.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 MX$139

$7.72 MX$135

2.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 MX$175

$9.59 MX$168

4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$47.39

$2.75 MX$48.24

-1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.67

$1.29 MX$22.62

13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.72

$1.51 MX$26.56

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.52

$2.18 MX$38.32

-30.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$30.01

$1.79 MX$31.31

-4.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.86

$2.31 MX$40.50

-13.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MX$24.20

$1.33 MX$23.39

3.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.60

$1.08 MX$19.01

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 MX$80.0

$3.61 MX$63.3

26.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 MX$197

$6.73 MX$118

66.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$27.36

$1.56 MX$27.45

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.88 MX$32.89

71.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.11

$0.60 MX$10.55

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.06 MX$457

$19.07 MX$335

36.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MX$46.69

$2.32 MX$40.74

14.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 MX$28.30

$1.53 MX$26.88

5.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.77 MX$206

$8.51 MX$149

38.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.31

$1.28 MX$22.53

3.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.6K MX$413.5K

$21.9K MX$383.6K

7.77%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.2K MX$424.0K

$21.3K MX$373.2K

13.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$30.98 MX$543

$62.5 MX$1,096

-50.44%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.74 MX$416

$19.09 MX$335

24.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.13 MX$476

$30.93 MX$543

-12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.02 MX$597

$34.04 MX$597

-0.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.92 MX$349

$20.89 MX$366

-4.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MX$85.1

$4.48 MX$78.5

8.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$189 MX$3,320

$141 MX$2,468

34.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,333 MX$111.1K

$2,406 MX$42.2K

163.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.35 MX$866

$46.85 MX$822

5.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$891

$27.87 MX$489

82.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 MX$1,750

$86.9 MX$1,525

14.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 MX$1,633

$98.1 MX$1,720

-5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 MX$12.6K

$511 MX$8,957

41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 MX$7,690

$255 MX$4,473

71.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 MX$23.2K

$326 MX$5,717

305.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 MX$14.8K

$551 MX$9,656

53.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 MX$57.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,021 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 MX$14.0K

$298 MX$5,234

167.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.07

3.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Guadalajara: July 12, 2026

Last update for Colima: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Guadalajara and $511 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guadalajara pays 167% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Guadalajara vs $31.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $231 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Guadalajara vs Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guadalajara and Colima differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,149 vs $912 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 167% higher in Guadalajara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $720 in Guadalajara versus $511 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 37% less than in Guadalajara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $189 in Guadalajara versus $141 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $912 in Colima versus $1,149 in Guadalajara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Guadalajara. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Guadalajara and Colima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Guadalajara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.